Package assembly with product display enclosure and exposed product sample attached on package substrate

ABSTRACT

A product package assembly includes a display card having a front surface, a transparent display enclosure attached on the front surface, a product disposed upon the front surface and contained within the display enclosure so as to be visible through the enclosure to a consumer but protected from physical contact by a consumer without first removal of the enclosure from the display card, and a sample of the product affixed and exposed on the front surface of the display card so as to allow physical contact by a consumer with the sample of the product.

[0001] This utility patent application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/187,957 filed Mar. 9, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention generally relates to packaging for products and, more particularly, is concerned with a product package assembly with a product display enclosure and an exposed product sample attached on package substrate.

[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0005] Many diverse products are generally packaged in a closed box or clear display package, where essentially the products are concealed from the consumer. The packaging is generally designed to protect the product. Where the product is a grip wrap material such as generally used on articles such as racquets, bats and tools, the packaging makes it impossible, short of destroying the packaging, for a consumer to feel or touch the grip wrap material before making the decision to purchase it unless special samples are made available for the consumer to tryout. However, these special samples require constant maintenance and can become damaged or lost in the store or shop.

[0006] Consequently, a need exists for an innovation in package design which will allow the consumer to sample the grip wrap material while providing protection to the grip wrap product itself that is being offered for sale.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention provides a product package assembly designed to satisfy the aforementioned need. The product package assembly of the present invention applies a sample of the product, such as of the grip wrap material, onto the package itself so the material of the grip wrap can be felt to demonstrate the feel and traction of the gripping surface, the cushion of the backing, or any other characteristic or property that can be demonstrated, without having to remove the grip wrap material sample from the package. By providing a sample of the grip wrap material on the package, the need is eliminated to have special samples of the product available and to exercise the care required to maintain these special samples.

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a product package assembly which comprises: (a) a package substrate; (b) a display body attached on the package substrate; (c) a product disposed in the display body so as to be visible to a consumer but protected from physical contact by a consumer without first removal of the product from the display body; and (d) a sample of the product affixed and exposed on the substrate so as to allow physical contact by a consumer with the sample of the product. More particularly, the substrate is a display card having indicia imprinted thereon and, specifically, is a flat display card. The display body is a bubble type enclosure and is made of a transparent material. The product is a grip wrap used on sports racquets and the sample is a piece of the grip wrap.

[0009] These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a prior art grip wrap package.

[0012]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the prior art package as seen along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

[0013]FIG. 3 is a front plan view of a product package assembly of the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the assembly as seen along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

[0015]FIG. 5 is a front plan view of a grip wrap sample employed in the assembly of the present invention.

[0016]FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the sample as seen along line 6-4 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. Also in the following description, it is to be understood that such terms as “forward”, “rearward”, “left”, “right”, “upwardly”, “downwardly”, and the like are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms.

[0018] Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a prior art grip wrap package, generally designated 10. The prior art package 10 includes a package substrate such as a flat display card 12, a display body such as a display enclosure 14, and a product 16 contained therein such as a roll of grip wrap. The product 16 is enclosed by the display enclosure 14 and the flat display card 12 which are fixed together by any suitable means, such as an adhesive, generally known in the art. The display card 12 can have indicia imprinted thereon. The display enclosure 14 is made of a transparent material through which a consumer can see the product 16 but still is prevented from making physical contact with the product 16. As an example, the display enclosure 14 can be a bubble type enclosure.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is illustrated a product package assembly of the present invention, generally designated 18. The assembly 18 basically includes the same display body in the form of the transparent display enclosure 20 attached on the same package substrate in the form of the flat display card 22 with the same product 24 contained therein, as in the case of the prior art package 10. The product 24 is disposed in the display enclosure 20 so as to be visible to a consumer but protected from physical contact by a consumer without first removal of the product 24 from the display enclosure 20.

[0020] The innovation provided by the present invention is the incorporation of a sample 26 of the product 24 in the assembly 10. The sample 26 is affixed and exposed on the flat display card 22 so as to allow physical contact by a consumer with the sample 26. For example, the sample 26 can be placed on the same front surface 28 of the card 22 as the product 24 and its enclosure 20, but at a location on the card 22 spaced from the product 24 and its enclosure 20 such as near to an opposite edge 22A or on a corner 22B of the card 22 away from the enclosed product 24. When the product 24 is the roll of grip wrap, the sample 26 would merely be a small piece of the grip wrap.

[0021] The sample 26 is affixed to the front surface 28 of the card 22 in any suitable manner, such as by an adhesive, which will allow sampling of the grip wrap material by a consumer for feel, traction, cushion or any other property or characteristic of interest. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the grip wrap sample 26 typically has a gripping surface 30 and a backing surface 32.

[0022] It is thought that the present invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely preferred or exemplary embodiment thereof. I claim: 

1. A product package assembly, comprising: (a) a package substrate; (b) a display body attached on said package substrate; (c) a product disposed in said display body so as to be visible to a consumer but protected from physical contact by a consumer without first removal of said display body from said substrate; and (d) a sample of said product affixed and exposed on said substrate so as to allow physical contact by a consumer with said sample of said product.
 2. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate is display card having indicia imprinted thereon.
 3. The assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein said substrate is a flat card.
 4. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein said display body is a bubble type enclosure.
 5. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein said display body is made of a transparent material.
 6. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein said product is a grip wrap used on sports racquets.
 7. The assembly as recited in claim 6 , wherein said sample is a piece of said grip wrap.
 8. A product package assembly, comprising: (a) a flat display card having a front surface; (b) a transparent display enclosure attached on said front surface of said card; (c) a product disposed upon said front surface of said card and contained within said display enclosure so as to be visible through said enclosure to a consumer but protected from physical contact by a consumer without first removal of said enclosure from said card; and (d) a sample of said product affixed and exposed on said top surface of said card so as to allow physical contact by a consumer with said sample of said product.
 9. The assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein said flat display card has indicia imprinted thereon.
 10. The assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein said transparent display enclosure is a bubble type enclosure.
 11. The assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein said product is a grip wrap used on sports racquets.
 12. The assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein said sample is a piece of said grip wrap. 